Queensland Multicultural Month - Supporting Queensland’s Pacific Neighbours with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The International Federation of Library Association (IFLA) advocated for and took part in the development of Goal 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies. "Goal 16 is dedicated to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, the provision of access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable institutions at all levels" (Goal 16, https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/peace-justice/). Specifically "Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements" (Goal 16 Targets, https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/peace-justice/). Access to information has been recognised as a target in the SDGs. It is part of the legal obligation of libraries and archives to keep and make available records that support and hold accountable our governing institutions.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) believe that as public institutions we have a responsibility to engage with and work toward all 17 Goals and our discussion at the conference was about how we can do that. We engaged in two workshops around real activities that libraries can take part in, which support the SDG and how we can become leaders in the community regarding action on the SDG, thereby raise awareness of them.

One of the most engaging parts of this summit was to hear about how our pacific neighbours work towards these goals for their benefit of their people.

We heard from delegates who took part in the Pacific Libraries Summit in Fiji. "The purpose of the Pacific Libraries Summit was to develop a Call to Action for public library development in the Pacific and to demonstrate the value of libraries in achieving the United Nations 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The vision for the Summit was to bring together key regional stakeholders, library practitioners and INELI-Oceania innovators to advocate for the role of public libraries and librarians in society and to inspire a vision and agreement for collaborative and sustainable development of public library services in the Pacific" (Pacific Libraries Network, https://www.inelioceaniasummit.net/). You can read their Statement of Intent here.

We also heard from the National Archivist of Fiji, Opeta Alefaio. An incredibly engaging and passionate man who has changed the way his people engage with their heritage. On a very small budget he has been able to take parts of his collection to places so remote that they need a boat and an off road vehicle to get there. The National Archives of Fiji have also been able to connect their people to their heritage through an extensive audio-visual collection that has been airing on national free-to air television and is now in its 4th season. The National Archives of Fiji also have strong community interaction with their Facebook page. They post lots of digitised material that the community hasn’t seen before – an engaging and invaluable connection to their heritage.

As part of Queensland Multicultural Month it is important to consider our connection to our Pacific neighbours. During the SDG Summit we recognised their extreme vulnerability to climate change and our responsibility to support their work towards the SDGs. We also recognised the more fundamental reality of Goal 13 – Climate Action – and how the rising sea levels and changing weather patterns provide a physical threat to libraries and archives in The Pacific. We also discussed how we make sure in the library world our colleagues in the Indo-Pacific do not get left behind.

You can read more about the results of the summit and how libraries support the Sustainable Development Goal here

If you want to know about what you can do on an individual level to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals you can read all about the Lazy Persons Guide to Saving the World.

Lazy persons guide to saving the world

#QMM2018

Leela Wittmer

Librarian, Visitor and Information Services

Further reading:

Australian Libraries Support the UN SDG - https://www.nsla.org.au/sites/default/files/documents/aust-libraries-sustainable-development-goals-jan18.pdf